Grow Home Reviews
Grow Home combines experimental animation and beautiful world-building to create something unique.
If indie gaming is just a state of mind then Ubisoft is getting increasingly good at encouraging it in their developers, especially in this novel plant-based platformer.
Phallic imagery and sore wrists don't stop this from being uniquely charming. Definitely worth a few quid and a few hours of your time.
Grow Home is a masterpiece that gives out a strong core mechanics as a platform game that can make you play the game out its charm despite its lack of narrative, replay value, and dull dialogue.
Simply put, Grow Home is a fun little game. It's not such a big game that you would spend more than a couple days playing it, but even after you've finished the story there is plenty to do afterward.
Grow Home isn't a game that I expected to fall in love with but after playing for a while and letting it wash over me, I can easily say that it's one of the most imaginative and enjoyable gaming experiences that I've played so far this year.
The spirit of Grow Home lies in its unforced exploration, leisurely collecting of items, and experiencing those "oh $H#@" moments as B.U.D. loses his grip or you miss your jump at 2000 meters in the air. There is added value to the game as you unlock skins with abilities and other items. After the end credits, you also have the choice of accepting an extra mission. All of these features add to Grow Home's appeal as a special game where it pays to be curious and daring, and you are properly rewarded if you are thorough.
You can probably get a good three to four hours of gameplay out of Grow Home, and more if you decide to search for every crystal and seed. It's relatively short, but it oozes charm and personality. I got more than enough enjoyment out of exploring the world, free falling through the vines, and watching BUD be all adorable and weird. If you're still unsure, just give it some time. I bet it will grow on you.
Grow Home's charming personality, feel-good physics, and satisfying controls make for a beautiful climbing adventure.
Grow Home is a fantastically creative game that needs to be lauded as one of the best things that has come out of Ubisoft in years. It's warm, it's fun, it has some dark humor and it's just a wonderful ride for everyone.
Despite its short length, Grow Home stands out as one of the most refreshing and original titles to have come out of Ubisoft in recent years.
Grow Home is utterly lovely. It's welcoming and sweet, and its simplicity is as elegant as BUD is adorably clumsy. Little experimental treats like this are worth a dozen Far Creeds and Assassin's Crys. More of this, please, Ubisoft!
Grow Home isn't awfully deep, nor does it provide any real story to hook you, but this game taps into the pleasure centers of seeing something and going there... however you may choose to do so.
In the end, in spite of some control and gameplay issues, it's easy to see why Ubisoft developers fell under the spell of Grow Home. The alien world is verdant and alive, the sense of progress and discovery intoxicating, and the hero B.U.D. truly lovable.
Take your time, play with the flora and fauna (although be careful, it's not all friendly), search out the gems (some are cunningly hidden), and enjoy taking your time. This isn't a game to rush, but to wobbily savour.
Grow Home offers simple but very enjoyable gameplay with the main focus being on the fun part.
Review in German | Read full review
Free from the claustrophobic Fordism that increasingly robs series like Assassin's Creed of their sense of wonder, this is a game that's taken shape at its own pace, and that has been allowed to find its own voice. Pick a point to aim for and jump. Jump!
[Y]ou'll probably never kick the stumbling habit entirely, which is fine, because you're always liable to stumble into something beautiful.